Toilet paper holders



1967 w. v. KENDALL 3,295,900

TOILET PAPER HOLDERS Filed May 12, 1965 INVENTOR. Walter M Kendall ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,295,900 TOILET PAPER HOLDERS Walter V. Kendall, 4175 S..Lincoln St., Englewood, Colo. 80110 Filed May 12, 1965, Ser. No. 455,059 6 Claims. (Cl. 31239) The present invention relates to a toilet paper holder for holding a plurality of rolls of paper and having one roll at a time in position to permit withdrawal of paper from the roll.

It is an object of the invention to provide a holder of the type specified which includes a cabinet which may be mounted on the surface of a wall or recessed 'in'it and which may be mounted in a vertical or horizontal position.

Another object is to provide a holder for rolls of toilet paper wherein the rolls not in use, are inaccessible and may be moved to dispensing position only when the previous roll .in dispensing position has been exhausted.

A further object is to provide a toilet paper holder in which a roll of paper is moved from a storage position to dispensing position by the positive action of the operat-or.

Another object is to provide a toilet paper holder which prevents the removal of the roll of paper which is in dispensing position until all of the. paper has been removed from the spool of the roll.

A still further object is to provide a toilet paper holder wherein the spool from an exhausted roll of paper is antomatically moved to a storage compartment at such time as a new roll is moved to dispensing position.

Another object is to provide a toilet paper holder with a cabinet in which the roll in dispensing position does not project beyond the front face of the cabinet. 7

A further object is to provide a toilet paper holder wherein the rolls in storage; position and a roll in dispensing position are positioned with their axis in alignment with each other rather than parallel.

Another object is to provide a toilet paper holder having novel means for storing and moving a roll from storage position to dispensing position.

Another object is to provide a toilet paper holder which is economical to manufacture, simple in operation and easily installed.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification drawings and claims appended hereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, shown in a vertical position and recessed in a wall.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the device in a horizontal position mounted on the surface of a wall with the front panel or cover removed.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross sect-ion taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 represents a substantially rectangular cabinet which may be made of metal, wood, plastic or other suitable material and comprises sidewalls 11 and 12, a back 13 and a cover 14 and ends 15 and 1-6. It is apparent that the cabinet may be recessed in a wall 17 or mounted on the surface of the wall, as shown in FIG. 2. In either type of installation the cabinet may be mounted in a vertical or horizontal position and secured to any convenient supporting surface by screws or otherwise.

At one end of the cabinet is a waste compartment having a hinged door 18 which opens outwardly from the cover 14 and has a knob 19 which may be provided with a lock. A hinged separator 20 separates the waste compartment from the storage and dispensing area of the cabinet. When the door 18 is opened outwardly, the separator 20 may be swung outwardly as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4. The separator is provided with a centrally positioned circular opening 21 which is slightly larger than the circumference of an empty toilet paper spool.

A shaft 22 is secured at one end to the end portion 16 of the cabinet 10; it may be secured by a screw 23 or other means. The diameter of the shaft is such that a toilet paper spool mounted on the shaft may be easily moved longitudinally on it as well as rotated. The shaft 22 is lined up with the opening 21 in the separator 20 and its free end terminates adjacent said opening. Spaced notches 24 are formed in said shaft 22; the space between them is approximately the width of a roll of toilet paper. The notches are connected by a slot 25. The shaft also has oppositely disposed longitudinal slots indicated at 26.

A stabilizer 27 is shown as a wood block spaced from the end 16 of the cabinet and having an opening through which the shaft 22 passes. This block supports and stabilizes the shaft; it may be secured to the cabinet by screws 28.

A pusher 29 is mounted on the shaft 22 for longitudinal movement with respect to it and has a pin 30 which extends through a portion of it and has one end in alignment with the slot 25. The other end extends through the longitudinal slot 31 in the cover 14 of the cabinet and has a knob 32 outside of the cabinet. A spring 33 on the pin 30 holds the pin in engagement with the slot 25 and notches 24 under tension. The pusher has projections which engage the longitudinal slots 26 on shaft 22.

Spacers 36 are mounted on shaft 22 and are positioned between the rolls of paper, there also being a spacer between the pusher 29 and the adjacent roll. These spacers may be made of plastic, metal or other suitable material and prevent friction between adjacent rolls. These spacers move along shaft 22 as the rolls are moved from storage position to dispensing position.

Particularly when cabinet 10 is mounted in a vertical position, the spacer 36 between the roll in dispensing position and the adjacent roll reduces friction between the rolls when the roll in dispensing position is rotated on shaft 22 during the process of removing paper 35 from the spool 34.

In operation, when the paper 35 on spool 34 has been exhausted by removing it from the spool through dispensing opening 37, the knob 32 is pulled outwardly against the tension of spring 33, thereby removing pin 30 from the adjacent notch 24 and permitting the pusher 29 to be moved along shaft 22. As the pusher is moved it moves the spools 34 along the shaft and the exhausted spools are pushed through the opening 21 in the separator 20 into the waste compartment. The size of the opening is such that only an exhausted spool may pass through it, thereby preventing unnecessary waste of paper by having a partially used roll :moved into the waste compartment.

In order to replenish the supply of rolls in the cabinet, the door 18 of the waste compartment is opened and the empty spools 34 and spacers 36 removed. The separator 20 is then swung outwardly and new rolls mounted on the shaft 22 with spacers 36 between them. The separator is then returned to its original position,

3 the door 18 is closed and locked, if desired, and the dispenser is again ready for operation.

It is to be understood, however, that this disclosure is by way of illustration and not limitation and that various other embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claims and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A toilet paper holder comprising an elongated cabinet for holding a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position having a waste compartment at one end having an access opening to the exterior of the cabinet provided with a closure member, a dispensing opening in said cabinet adjacent said waste compartment, a separator in said cabinet between the waste compartment and the dispensing opening, said separator having an opening substantially the size of a paper spool, a longitudinally extending shaft in said cabinet for supporting a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position, said shaft being secured at one end to said cabinet and having the other end positioned adjacent the opening in the separator, and a pusher mounted on said shaft for longitudinal movement thereon.

2. A toilet paper holder comprising an elongated cabinet for holding a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position having a waste compartment at one end having an access opening to the exterior of the cabinet provided with a closure member, a dispensing opening in said ca'binet adjacent said waste compartment, a separator in said cabinet between the waste compartment and the dispensing opening, said separator having an opening approximately the size of a paper spool, a longitudinally extending shaft in said cabinet for supporting a plurality of rolls of paper in endto-end position, one end of said shaft terminating adjacent the opening in said separator, longitudinal grooves in said shaft and a pusher on said shaft having projecting portions engaging said grooves.

3. A toilet paper holder comprising an elongated cabinet for holding a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position having a waste compartment at one end having an opening to the exterior of the cabinet provided with a closure, a dispensing opening in said cabinet adjacent said Waste compartment, a separator in said cabinet between the waste compartment and the dispensing opening, said separator having an opening substantially the size of a paper spool, a longitudinally extending shaft in said cabinet for supporting a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position, one end of shaft terminating adjacent the opening in said separator, longitudinal grooves in said shaft, spaced notches in said shaft, a pusher mounted on said shaft for longitudinal movement, a pin on said pusher in engagement with one-of said grooves and positioned to engage said notches, a spring for holding said pin in engagement with said groove and notches under tension and a member connected to said pin extending outside of said cabinet for selectively disengaging said pin from said notches.

4. A toilet paper holder comprising an elongated cabinet holding a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position having a waste compartment for receiving empty paper spools, a dispensing opening in said cabinet adjacent said waste compartment, a longitudinally extending shaft secured at one end to an end of the cabinet and having its other end terminating adjacent said Waste compartment, a stabilizer in said cabinet in engagement with said shaft at a point spaced from the secured end thereof and a pusher mounted in said cabinet for longitudinal movement with respect to said shaft.

5. A toilet paper holder comprising an elongated cabinet for holding a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position having a waste compartment with an opening to the exterior of the cabinet provided with a closure, a dispensing opening in said cabinet adjacent said waste compartment, a longitudinally extending shaft in said cabinet having one end secured to said cabinet and having the other and terminating adjacent said waste compartment and a pusher in said cabinet mounted for'longitudinal movement with respect to said shaft.

6. A toilet paper holder comprising an elongated cabinet for holding a plurality of rolls of paper in end-to-end position having a waste compartment, said cabinet having a dispensing opening therein adjacent said waste compartment, a longitudinally extending shaft in said cabinet having one end terminating adjacent said waste compartment, a separator in said cabinet between said waste compartment and said end of said shaft having an opening therein in alignment with the end of said shaft and a manually operative pusher in said cabinet mounted for longitudinal movement with respect to said shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,917,641 7/1933 Fairchild 2 4255.3 2,991,951 7/1961 Carroll 24255.42 3,157,370 11/1964 Govatsos et al 242-55.2

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TOILET PAPER HOLDER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CABINET FOR HOLDING A PLURALITY OF ROLLS OF PAPER IN END-TO-END POSITION HAVING A WASTE COMPARTMENT AT ONE END HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE CABINET PROVIDED WITH A CLOSURE MEMBER, A DISPENSING OPENING IN SAID CABINET ADJACENT SAID WASTE COMPARTMENT, A SEPARATOR IN SAID CABINET BETWEEN THE WASTE COMPARTMENT AND THE DISPENSING OPENING, SAID SEPARATOR HAVING AN OPENING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SIZE OF A PAPER SPOOL, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SHAFT IN SAID CABINET FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF ROLLS OF PAPER IN END-TO-END POSITION, SAID SHAFT BEING SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID CABINET AND HAVING THE OTHER END POSITIONED ADJACENT THE OPENING IN THE SEPARATOR, AND A PUSHER MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREON. 